Measured-service party-line telephone system



March 1 8, 1924.

- 1,486,909 E. JACOBSEN' MEASURED SERVICE PARTY LINE TELEPHONE SYSTEMFiled March 13. 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet l I'm/57:12:? ErmZ Jacobssn EMILmconsnn, on NEW YORK,

Y.', ASSIGNOR T AUTOTIC ELECTRIC COMP A,

OF CHICAGQ, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

MEASURED-seamen [PARTY-LINE TELEPHONE Application med March 13, 1919.Serial No. 282;.

' To all whom it may concern:

' vented certain new vised which is accurate such as D which Be it knownthat I, Emu. JAoonsnN, a citizen of the United States of America, and aresident of New York, in the county of Bronx and State of New York, havein- Improvements in Measured-Service Party-Line Telephone Systems,ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates in general to an automatic telephone system andmore specifically to an improved means for registering the calls in asystem in which party lines are used and in which it is desired toregister the calls made from each station on a party'line.

Although in the been accomplished by having a, meter for each station onthe line operated by reverse battery or some other means, yet a schemehas not within my knowledge yet been deand in which it is not possibleto at times operate the meter of some station falsely and thus chargewhen a call is not made. J

In order to overcome this ditliculty and also to provide central oflicemeters'for each station 011 a line, I provide an auxiliary or meterselecting switch at the centraloffice associated with the line switch ofeach party line and arrange the calling device at each station so thatat the time of initiating a'call from a certain station, theauxiliary'switch associated with that line is operated automatically topick out the particular miter set apart for the station calling. Inorder to automatically operate the auxiliary switch in thismanner I sointerconnect the receiver hook With the calling device that when asubscriber removes his receiver and his switch hook rises, the said hookpermits the dial previously held in a partially operated position torotate to normal to send either 1, 2, 3 or 4 impulses to the saidauxiliary switch, which meter it is desired to select.

These and other features and aspects of my invention will be morespecifically pointed'out by referring to the accompanymg drawings anddescribing the progress ofa call from a party-line subscriber to anotherlinexand the means for charging therefor.

Fig, l of the drawings shows a station A on a party line having accessthrough a line switch C to one of a plurality of selectors selectors Din turn have relay 2 of past this has sometimesv once to operate thedepending upon access through any of a plurality of connector switchessuch as H Fig.2) to 3. called line; Fig. 2 shows a connector switch and:1 called line, and Fig. 3 shows means comprising a rack and nz-ctingthe switch hook and the calling device to give a preliminary set ofimpulses; It will of course be understood that this interconnection maybe accomplished in any desired manner.

Assuming that thesubscribei A (Fig. 1) is the firstor number one partyon a party line then when he removes his receiver to initiate a call acircuit is closed for tlie line the line switch C in series with theline c'ircuit.- Relay 2 energizes and closes a circuit for the slowrelay the private normal conductor 4 and prepares a circuit for the ocrating magnet 5 ofthe auxiliary meter se ectin switch whose wipers areshown at 6 an 7. Now as the receiver rises it releases the dial, whichreturns .to normal and opens the circuit of the relay 2 once. Relay 2therefore deenergizes magnet 5 once over a circuit from ground throughsprings 8 and 9, springs lO springs 11 and 12, lower winding of slowrelay '13, magnet 5, wWiper 7 in first position, and through springs 14and 15 to battery. Relay 1'3 energizes and remains energized duringimpulses to short circuit the wiper 7 and its first contact and close anew circuit through springs 16 and 15 to battery for magnet 5. Thisoperation causes wipers 6 and 7 to move to their second position, thewiper 7 opening the initial energizingcircuit of magnet 5 and the wiper6 connecting'th: meter of the calling party to the meter 0 )eratingconductor over which it is later to be operated. As soon as the meterselecting impulses cease, and relay 1. deenergizes,'the springs 14. and15 again close contact and a circuit is closed from the battery throughsprings 15 and 14, wiper 7 and its second position contact, rotaryswitch magnet 17, interrupter springs 18, springs 19 and 20, springs 21and 22, and private or test wiper of the rotary switch C. Another branchof this circuit extends through a comparatively high resistanceswitching relay 23. Now if the trunk upon which the wipers of the switchC are resting is busy at this time then a guarding ground Will bepresent upon the test contact thereof and will thus short circuit pinionfor intercom 3 which grounds the relay 23 and cuit at springs impulsesof this digit cease cause the ma wipers 24 to 2 inclusive onto the nexttrunk line, the magnet 17 interrupting its own cir- 18. This operationwill continue until an idle trunk is reached which has no ground presenton its test contact.- As soon as such idle trunk is reached, relay 23will no longer be shorted but Wlll energize in series with the magnet17, which ma et will however not energize in series wit the highresistance of relay 2 3. Relay 23 upon energizing, opens the springs 10111 the circuit of the release magnet 28 and switches the private wiper26 directly onto the relay 23 to hold it energized. The relay 2 is cutoii from the line circuit by relay 23 and the line circuit is cutthrough to the line wipers 24 and 25, also the springs 29 in the circuitof the meter are closed.

As soon as relay 23 energizes a circuit is completed for the line relay30 of a standard selector switch D in series with the calling linecircuit. Belay 30 energizes over this circuit to close the circuit ofslow release relay 31 which grounds the release trunk back to switch Cand prepares a circuit for the vertical magnet of the switch D. Thesubscriber at A now operates his calling device for the first digit ofthe called number, the rack attached to the switchhook being nowdisengaged from the pinion, thereby causing the line circuit tobeinterrupted and relay 30 to close the circuit of vertical magnet 32 acorresponding number of times in series with slow relay 33. .Relay 33energizes and maintains its armature attracted during this series'ofimpulses, closing the circuit of relay 39, which pulls up and locksitself to prepare the rotary magnet circuit in the well known manner.Magnet 32 operates to step the wipers of the switch D to the desiredlevel, and as soon as the relay 33 falls back. A circuit is then closedfrom ground through springs 34, springs 35 and 36, s rings 37 and rotarymagnet 38 to battery. elay 39 was energized when relays 31 and 33energized and closed its springs 37. Magnet 38 operatcs to give thewipers their first rotary step into engagement with the first set ofbank contacts in the selected level, and break the holding circuit ofrelay 39. If the trunk connected to this first set of contacts is busy aground is'present on the test contact thereof which completes a newcircuit for relay 39, from the private wiper and contact through springs40 and 41, springs 42, springs 43, and relay 39 to battery. Relay 39thereforeenergizes again, and again operates magnet 38 to step thewipers to the second set of contacts, magnet 38 opening the circuit ofrelay 39 each time it energizes. This alternate operation of relay 39and magnet 38 continues until an idle trunk line "is reached at whichtime there is no et 17 ,to operate to step the ground on the test wiperand a circuit becomes efi'ective from battery through relay 39, springs43, springs 42, relay 44, and springs 34 to ground. Relay 44 is of highresistance and operates alone in this circuit to disconnect the relaysof the switch D from the extended line circuit'and connects the linecircuit to the line wipers 45 and 46 and thence to the line relay or theconnector H (Fig. 2). Relay 44 also opens a point 47 in the circuit ofthe release magnet, and closes another point 48 in the circuit extendedfrom the meter M.

Line relay 50 of the connector H energizes in series with the extendedline circuit to "close a circuit for slow relay 51 which in turnenerglzes to ground the holding circuit back'to the switches C and D andto prepare the circuit of the vertical magnet 52 of the switch H. Thecalling device is now oper-. ated for the next digit of the callednumber to control relay 50. Relay 5O closes the circuit of verticalmagnet 52 in series with the slow series relay 53. Magnet 52 operates tostep -.the wipers of the switch H to some level of its bank. Relay 53operates'to close a new 52 and said relay 53 after the ofl' normalsprings are. operated. After the impulses of this digit case, relay 53falls back after an instant and prepares a. circuit for the rotarymagnet 54 and slow relay 55in multiple. Now when the calling. device isoperated for the next or last digit of the called number, relay 50 inresponse thereto operates to close the circuit of magnet 54 and relay 55a corresponding number of times. Magnet 54 operates to step the wipersinto engagement with the contacts in the bank of the switch to which thecalled line is connected, and relay 55 remains energized for an intervalto hold the busy relay 56 in connection with the private wiper 57. Now,if the called line is busy and a ground is present on the guardingcontact thereof, relay 56 will energize over a circuit including thefront contact of relay 55 in series with a back contact of relay 58 andwiper 57. Relay 56 upon energizing, connects a busy signal to thecalling subscriber and opens the circuit of the rotary magnet afterwhich the connection will be released.

If, however, the called line is idle and no ground is present at thetest contact thereof then relay 56 will not energize and as soon asrelay 55 deenergizes a circuit will be closed for the cut-on relay 58extending from ground'through springs of relay 51, back contact of relay56, upper" winding of relay 58, back contact of relay 55, private wiper57, and c-ut-oii relay and magnet of the called nians line switch C tobattery. Belay 58 now energizes to ground the wiper 57 direct, lockitself energized through its lower winding, disconnect the rotaryoperatcircuit for the magnet lla') s rings p sting a circuit from theringing machine ntense e I g i magnet 54, and cut the line circuit ofthe ca ed i no to the ringing circuit including R and one winding of.the rm -cut off relay 59 to battery. As soon as t e the si nal, the'relay 59 will energize to cut 0 the ringing circuit and connect thecalled line .to the windings of the back bridge relay 60. Relay 60 willnow ener- .11 in series with the called hue and supply attery currentthereto so that conversation may proceed. When the relay 59 energize tocut off the ringing c1rcu1t the 61 were also closed, thereby comsprin61, wiper 62 and its contact, 48 o relay 44, wiper 27 and Rs contact,springs 29 of relay 23, wiper 6 and itssecond position contact, andthrough the meter magnet to battery. The meter M istherefore operatedand held in operated position until the call is released, as relay 59looks energized during conversation. Now when conversation ceases andthe subscribers hang up their receivers the relay 51 of connector Hcloses the release circuit of the connector and also opens the holdingcircuit back to the switch D which in turn releases in the usual manner.Referring to the switch 0, however, when the holding circuit over wiper26 is broken relay 23 deenergizes and closes a circuit from groundthrough springs S and 9, springs 10, spring 11 and its back contact, andthe release magnet 28 of the auxiliary switch to battery. Magnet 28therefore, releases the auxiliary meter selecting wipers 6 and 7 fromtheir advanced position and the circuit of the release magnet 28 isopened when the wipers reach normal by the ofi normal springs 63. Thehanging up of the receiver at the station A rotates the dial to theposition shown in Fig. 3, and thus places the calling device inreadiness to send another preliminary impulse the next time the receiveris removed. 1 It will be seen therefore that I have provided a veryeficient means for charging the calls in a part line telephone system inwhich the meters correspondmg to the various stations on a line arelocated at the central oiiice and are so associated with the individualswitch of the line that each subscriber when calling automatically picksout his own meter, or theone set apart for his use, and when the call iscompleted, this meter will be operated to assess the charge.

Having fullydescribed and ascertained the features and aspects of myinvention I will point out in the ap ended claims what- I consider to benew an tccted by Letters Patent.

What I claim as my invention is: 1. In a telephone system, a line, aplurality of stations on said line, a calling device desire to haveprofor each station,

" the calling device called subscriber responds to connect the meterinitiates a call, a

ground through said springs andmeans for operating nections are extendedfrom a meter for each station, a meter operatin conductor common to saidstations, means or automatically operating ofa calling station to ofthat station to the meter operating conductor when that station switchresponsive to the automatic operation of said calling device andconstituting the means by which the proper meter-is selected, and otherswitches then responsiveto the manual operation of the cal ing device atthe calling station to extend said line to the called line.

2. In a telephone system, a party line, a meter individual to eachstation on said line, an automatic switch for extending a connectionfrom said line, a calling device for controlling said switch, a step bystep auxiliary switch associated with said automatic switch forselecting any one of said meters, said calling device automatically tocause said auxiliary switch to select one of said meters each time saidautomatic switch is o erated to extend a connection from the sai line.

3. In a telephonesystem, a party line, a meter individual to eachstation on said line, a calling device at one of the stations on saidline, means for automatically operating said calling device each time aconnection is set up from said line by the subscriber at the station,where said calling device is located, a step by step switch responsiveto the automatic operation of said calling device to select theparticular one of said meters which corresponds to the calling station,and means for operating the selected meter to charge the call to thecalling station.

4. In a tele hone system, a party line, a meter and. a ca ling deviceindividual to each station on said line, an automatic switch forextending a connection from said line, a step by step auxiliary switchassociated with said automatic switch for selecting any one of saidmeters, means for operating one of said calling devices automatically tocause said auxiliary switch to be automatically operated to select ameter each time said automatic switch is operated to extend a connectionfrom the line, and means for operating said selected meter to charge thecall to the callin station.

5. In a te ephone system, a party line, a meter individual to eachstation on said line for charging calls to its station when consaidline, a calling device for each station on said line,

means for operating one of said calling devices automatically prior tothe extension of a call from-the line for transmitting a series of codeimpulses over the line, means responsive to said impulses forassociating the meter of the calling station with said line and meansfor operating said associated not i meter to charge the call to thecalling station.

6. In a telephone system, a party line, a meter individual to eachstation on said line, anautomati'c switch for extending a connectionfrom said line, an auxiliary switch associated with said automaticswitch for selecting any one of said meters, a calling device for eachstation on said line, means for operating the calling device at the,calling station automatically to transmit a series of code impulses tocause said auxiliary switch to'select'a meter each time said automaticswitch is operated to extend a connection from theline, and meanscontrolled by the response of the called subscriber for operating theselected meter to assess a charge.

7. In a telephone system, a party line, a meter individual to eachstation on the line, a non-numerical switch for extending a connectionfrom said line when anystation calls, a calling device for each stationon the said line, a step by step auxiliary switch for associating themeter of the calling station with the line when a station initiates acall, said auxiliary switch operated by the automatic operation of thecalling device at the calling station, and means for thereafteroperating said non-numerical switch.

8. In a telephone system, a line, a plurality of stations on said line,an automatic switch, a plurality of meters, one for each station on saidline, a calling device at each station for operating said switch toextend a connection from said line, a step by step auxiliary switch, andmeans for automatically operating the calling device at a callingstation to cause said auxiliary switch to select the particular one ofsaid meters which corresponds to the calling station before the saidautomatic switch is operated to extend a connection from said line.

9. In a telephone system, a line, a plurality of stations on said line,a meter and'a calling device for each of said stations, a meteroperating conductor common to said stations, means controlled by theinitiation of a call from any of said stations and prior to theextension of a connectionfrom the line for automaticall operating thecalling device at the cal ing station to send a code of impulses overthe line, and. a switch responsive to said im ulses for connecting themeter of the calling station with said meter operating conductor inreadiness to be operated.

10. In a telephone system, a line, a plurality of stations on said line,a meter individual to each station, a non-numerical switch individual tosaid line, a calling device for each of said stations, a step by stepswitch for associating the meter of any station with said line, andmeans for automatically operating anyone of said devices to send aseries of. numerical impluses to operate said step by step switch andfor causing said non-numerical switch to extend the connection.

11.' Ina telephone system, a party line, a meter for each station on thelineJ-a switch for associating any one of said meters with said line, asecond switch for extendin a connection from said line, an impluse sener for one of said stations, means controlled by the switch hook of saidstation when the re eiver is IQlllOV Gd for operating said sender tosend a. series of code impulses over the line to control said firstswitch, said second switah controlled by impulses from the same sender.

12. In a telephone system, a party line, a meter for each station on theline, a switch for associating any one of said meters with said line, asecond switch for extendin a connection from iaid line; an impluse sener for one of said stations, by a single upward movement of theswitchhook of said station when the receiver is removed for operatingsaid sender to send a seriesof impulses over the line to control saidfirst switch, said second switch controlled by impulses from the samesender, and means for operating said associated meter to charge the callto the calling station.

13. In a telephonesystem, a party line, a meter for each station onsaid, line, an automatic switch for extending a connecmeans controlledtion from said line, a. step by step auxiliary switch associated withsaid automatic switch for selecting any one of said meters, an impulsesender for one of said stations, means controlled by the switchhook ofsaid station when the receiver is removed for operating said sender tocontrol said auxiliary switch, said first switch controlled by impulsesfrom the same sender, and'means' controlled by the response of thecalled subscriber for operating the selected meter to assess a charge.

14. In a telephone system, a party line, a meter,for each station on theline, a nonnumerical switch for extending-a connection from said linewhen any station calls, an auxiliary switch for associating the meter ofthe calling station with the line when that station initiates a call, animpulse sender for one of said stations, means controlled by a singleupward movement'of the switch hook of said station when the receiver isremoved to initiate a call for operating said sender to generate a codeof impulses to controlsaid auxiliary switch, and means controlled bysaid auxiliary switch for thereafter opera-ting said non-numerical theoperation of said sender for one of said stations, means controlled by asingle movement of the switchhook of said station when the receiver is Iremoved for operating said sender to generate a series of like impulsesto control said auxiliary switch, means for thereafter operating saidnomnumericalswitch, and other switches in the exchange controlled by thesame sender in the extension of a call.

16. In a. telephone system, a line, a plurality of stations on the saidline, an automatic switch for said line, a plurality of metersassociated with the same switch, one for each station on the line, animpulse sender for one of said stations, means controlled by a. singlemovement of the switchhook of said station when the receiver is removedfor operating sender control automatic switch in selecting apredetermined one of the said meters, means thereafter operable toextend the connection from said line to an idle one of the next roup ofswitches, said last mentioned switc controlled by impulses from the samesender controlled by means independent of said switch hook.

17. The combination with a telephone set of means for automaticallysending preiminary impulses, said means comprising a switchhook, contactsprings, an impulse wheel arranged in close proximity to said contactsprings, and means controlled solely by said switchhook for causing therotation of said impulse wheel, and in consequence thereof, theactuation of said contact springs.

18. The combination with a telephone set of an interrupter mechanismarranged in conjunction with the switchhook for automatically sendingpreliminary impulses said interruptermechanism comprising contactsprings, an impulse wheel mounted in close proximity to said contactsprings, and means controlled entirely by the switchhook for causing therotation of said impulse wheel, and in consequence thereof the actuation of said contact springs.

Signed by me at New York, county of New York, State ofNew York, this 7thday of March, 1919.

, I EllflL JACOB SEN.

